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DIETARY MANAGEMENT OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

NCJ Number
60964
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 23 Issue: 1 Dated: (1979) Pages: 73-84
Author(s)
B F FEINGOLD
Date Published
1979
Length
12 pages
Annotation
INTENDED FOR CORRECTIONS PROFESSIONALS AND DOCTORS, THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES THE DELETERIOUS EFFECT OF FOOD ADDITIVES ON JUVENILE BEHAVIOR AND PRESENTS THREE CASE STUDIES.
Abstract
IN THE UNITED STATES, ALMOST 4,000 SYNTHETIC COMPOUNDS ARE ADDED TO FOODS, GENERALLY AS PRESERVATIVES, FLAVORS, OR COLORS. PERSONS SUFFERING PHYSICAL AILMENTS CAUSED BY THESE COMPOUNDS ARE OFTEN CURED OF EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS AS WELL WITH ADDITIVE-FREE DIETS. THE EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES RECUR WHEN THE NEW DIETS ARE ABANDONED. FOR EXAMPLE, A CLINIC TREATED 600 CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIOR DISTURBANCES DATING TO EARLY INFANCY AND COMMONLY MANIFESTED BY RESTLESSNESS, DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR, SHORT ATTENTION SPAN, LACK OF MUSCLE COORDINATION, AND SCHOOL FAILURE (OR HYPERACTIVITY) WITH ADDITIVE-FREE DIETS. SIXTY TO SEVENTY PERCENT WERE IMPROVED WITH DIET AND MANY NO LONGER NEED BEHAVIOR-MODIFYING DRUGS. COMMON OFFENDERS IN INFANCY ARE CHILDREN'S VITAMINS THAT CONTAIN ARTIFICIAL COLORS AND FLAVORS. INFANTS EXPERIENCE BEHAVIOR CONTROL IN 24 TO 36 HOURS AFTER THE NEW DIET AND CHILDREN 2 TO 5 YEARS, WITHIN 5 DAYS; BOTH SUFFER RELAPSES WITHIN 2-4 HOURS WITHOUT THE NEW DIET. CHILDREN 6-12 IMPROVE COMPLETELY WITHIN WEEKS, ALTHOUGH SOME WILL NOT SHOW SCHOLASTIC IMPROVEMENT WITHOUT A CHANGE OF SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT OR TREATMENT FOR LEARNING DISABILITIES. ALTHOUGH UNTREATED CHILDREN MAY SEEM TO IMPROVE DURING ADOLESCENCE, THEIR BEHAVIOR AND FAILURE PROBLEMS ARE MERELY LESS VISIBLE AND MAY PREPARE THEM FOR DELINQUENCY THROUGH CONSEQUENT LOWERED SELF-ESTEEM. EIGHTY PERCENT OF ALL JUVENILE DELINQUENTS HAVE A HISTORY OF BEHAVIORAL DISTURBANCES; CASE STUDIES OF THREE ADOLESCENT BOYS SHOW HISTORIES OF HYPERACTIVITY AND SCHOOL PROBLEMS FOLLOWED BY DELINQUENCY, AND COMPLETE IMPROVEMENT WITH A DIET WITHOUT FOOD ADDITIVES. TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)